MastRSlide on a Bosch 4000 Contractor saw

Now I know what some of you may be thinking. Putting a JessEm MastRSlide on a Bosch 4000 is well, kinda like putting a bored out 350 engine into a Chevy Citation. But with the mastRSlide, I have been able to achieve very accurate and just as importantly consistent results with this set-up. While someday I hope to be able to afford a hybrid or full-blown cabinet saw, the mastRSlide has allowed me to take on projects that I otherwise would never have dared attempt on the Bosch 4000 alone.

While the MastRSlide will not make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear, it will make for a very capable platform that will handle just about anything from full 4’x8’ sheetgoods to the most precise tenons. And the best part is that the mastRSlide can be transplanted when I get a better saw for my shop.

I would highly reccomend the JessEm sliding table to anyone who uses a table saw. The only down side is the fairly steep price (only have to cry once) and getting comfortable working on the left side of the blade.

With a little ingenuity, portability does not have to come at the expense of accuracy.

It was actually fairly easy to install on the saw. If you look at Mark Decou’s review of the same saw, you can see in his picture of the underside that there are 4 tapped holes molded into the top casting. I attached birch plywood outriggers (one in the front and one in the back of the saw) using these 4 holes. In the above picture, you can see the front outrigger under the table. These outriggers are adjustable vertically using a series of washers between the outrigger and the underside of the table saw to get the sliding table to the right hight. I also transfered the wing mounting holes locations from the sliding table to the table saw and drilled them out. Then using large fender washers to distribute the load, I attached the sliding table to the side of the table on the saw using bolts and nylon lock nuts. From the time I started to actually cross-cutting some lumber was about 3-4 hours over a two-day period. I have been using this set-up for over a year and have not had to adjust the table once after the initial set-up.

JessEm states very clearly that is not intended to be used on this type of saw in their brochure and web site, but what makes it possible to use on this saw is the outriggers which triangulate and distribute the load of the sliding table.

I didn’t go QUITE this far on my Bosch 4000. I opted for the JessEm Mite-R-Excel instead. I have been nothing but happy with it, and like you, when I ‘graduate’ to a full size TS, this will transfer nicely.

-- There is nothing in the world more dangerous, than a woodworker who knows how to read a micrometer...

It rocks. It’s really a quality Tablesaw accessory. I hada stop on the rip fence on the tablesaw and a stopon the Jessem. That gave me stops to the right and left of the blade – you have no idea how much fasteryou can cut parts out with such a setup.

The major drawback is that it sags and if you are cuttinganything that is a little heavy and longer than 4 feet you haveto push down pretty hard against your table saw table tokeep the cut square. Also you have to get the hang ofkeeping the fence clear of debris that can throw the cut outof square. If you aren’t pulling the stock firmly againstthe Jessem’s fence the work may creep away from the blade asyou cut. The Jessem’s aluminum extrusion is quite smooth.

You might consider gluing some sandpaper to the fence to prevent the creep…. because otherwise you’ll have to beconstantly vigilant – and I like to eliminate such situations frommy woodworking because while I work safely I also thinkthrough the next procedure while I am working and my attentionis seldom unwavering when making routine, repetitive cuts.